Recipe: Toast Hawaii

Finally, here’s another recipe of the German Classics series I’ve wanted to share with you, the legendary Toast Hawaii. This used to be one of my absolute favourite dishes when I was a kid, and my mom loved it, too, as these toasts are an incredibly quick and easy lunch or dinner option. Just perfect for time-pressed working moms with hungry children. 😉

This recipe was invented, or at least made popular, by the German TV cook Clemens Wilmenrod and is considered typical for West Germany in the 1950s. (Source: Wikipedia)

Classic Toast Hawaii

A quick and easy lunch or dinner option, that is also highly customizable. The original recipe uses ham, but if you’re a vegetarian like me, you can replace it with Tofurky slices, smoked tofu, or extra cheese. I normally use Emmental cheese, but you can of course choose any kind of cheese you like. Vegan cheese substitutes, like Daiya, should work, too.

To make this a slightly healthier meal, serve the toasts with a side salad.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8 slices of sandwich bread (white or whole wheat)

4 tsp butter

8 slices of pineapple (fresh or canned)

8 large slices of ham (or Tofurky slices or smoked tofu)

8 slices of cheese (Emmental/swiss cheese or whichever you prefer)

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Slightly toast the bread and spread with butter. If you are using canned pineapple slices, drain them thoroughly.

Place the toasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Layer on ham, pineapple, and finally cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are slightly browned. Serve hot.

Drown the toasts in a cup of tomato ketchup and dig in! Oh wait, that’s just me. 😉